Background: Elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, have been associated with heart failure. However, it is not known which parameters of left ventricular dysfunction correlate with elevated levels of CRP.
Methods and results: In this cross-sectional study of 98 patients referred for cardiac catheterization, we investigated whether commonly used clinical indices of left ventricular dysfunction correlated with CRP levels. CRP levels were elevated to a greater degree in participants with diabetes mellitus (P =.006) and heart failure (P =.003). Increased CRP levels were associated with increased plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP; P =.0001), decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; P =.02), and increased left-ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP; P =.0005). After multivariable adjustment, LVEDP and CRP were independently associated (P =.046).
Conclusion: CRP is increased in patients with heart failure. Of the clinical parameters of left ventricular dysfunction, direct measurement of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure is most closely associated with CRP.